Islamabad: A federal union of Pakistani journalists has announced nationwide protests against censorship and mass layoffs, saying its members will go on hunger strike in all provincial capitals from next week against a year that has been the “worst” in history for the nation’s media.
Journalists and rights groups say the government’s relations with the press and broadcasters have become increasingly strained since Prime Minister Imran Khan took office in 2018. The government denies it censors the media.
Journalists’ complaints range from direct edicts to editors and producers not to air or publish news critical of the government or the military, the suppression of opposition political voices, pulling TV stations from transmission or newspapers from circulation and targeting the advertising revenue of dissenting media. Newspapers and news channels across the country have announced mass layoffs in recent months as advertising funding and revenues have dried up.
“This government has virtually strangled all journalists by tightening its hold on media houses,” Shahzada Zulfiqar, president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), told Arab News. “2020 has been the worst year in Pakistan’s history for freedom of press.”
He said at least four journalists had been killed this year while hundreds were laid off and more than two dozen were facing court cases for covering stories critical of the government.
Pakistan ranked 145th out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) in April this year.
Senator Faisal Javed Khan, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting, and a senior member of PM Khan’s ruling party, denied the government was censoring the media, saying it “firmly” believed in press freedom and was in fact trying to help journalists and media organizations cover stories independently.
“Our government firmly believes in freedom of press and freedom of expression, and we keep trying to ensure it at levels to the best of our capacity,” the senator said. “We believe genuine journalists can play an effective role in curbing misinformation and help segregate propaganda from the facts.”
“Independent media is also vital for democracy and rule of law in the country,” Khan said. “Therefore, we also expect journalists to uphold the best journalistic practices while covering stories.”
But journalists and rights groups say the government’s idea of “best practices” increasingly means pushing favorable coverage and cracking down on dissent, including through new rules and the existing Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA).
Last year, Pakistan’s government approved new rules to regulate cyberspace, giving the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) “removal and blocking” powers of digital content that “harms, intimidates or excites disaffection” toward the government or poses a threat to the “integrity, security and defense of Pakistan.”
Many journalists have complained of receiving notices from the cybercrime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for social media posts that “defamed” the army or the government.
“The state had charged me for doing propaganda against state institutions on social media, which was totally frivolous,” Asad Ali Toor, a journalist who was charged under PECA in September, told Arab News. “The purpose was just to harass me and send a message to other journalists as well who are vocal and critical of the government’s and state institutions’ policies.”
In November, the Lahore High Court quashed the case against Toor after the FIA admitted the charges levelled against him were false.
“The government is now targeting Internet freedom under the garb of regulation,” Toor added.
“Let alone electronic and print media freedom, we are fast losing Internet freedom also due to recently promulgated regressive laws and rules,” Iqbal Khattak, a senior journalist and RSF representative in Pakistan, told Arab News while referring to the Citizens Protection [Against Online Harm] Rules 2020.
Khattak said many journalists who had been laid off in recent months had launched Youtube channels and social media accounts to be able to continue to express themselves, but the government was using new social media rules to “chase” them on the Internet also.
Toor said space was fast shrinking for journalists in Pakistan “but we’ll have to resist the government’s tactics to pressurise journalists.”
2020 'worst year in Pakistan's history' for press freedom, journalists' union says
https://arab.news/gtv5h
2020 'worst year in Pakistan's history' for press freedom, journalists' union says
- Government says “firmly” believes in media freedom, expects journalists to “uphold best journalistic practices” while covering stories
- Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists announces nationwide campaign against censorship and layoffs, says its members will go on hunger strike in all provincial capitals from next week
At least 1,141 Pakistanis killed and injured due to ‘terrorism’ from Jan. 1-Mar.16— minister
- Tallal Chaudry says three law enforcement personnel, two civilians are killed daily across Pakistan due to “terrorism“
- Minister of state for interior urges opposition to support government in its war against surging militancy in country
ISLAMABAD: At least 1,141 Pakistanis have been killed and injured from Jan. 1 to Mar. 16 this year in “terrorism” incidents, Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudry said on Thursday, urging provinces to support the central government in its battle against militants.
Pakistan has seen a surge in militant attacks in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan and Iran in recent days, especially Balochistan, where separatist militants last Tuesday stormed a train and held hundreds of passengers hostage before the army launched a rescue operation. The army killed all 33 militants while a final count showed 23 soldiers, three railway employees and five passengers had died in the attack.
Days later on Sunday, five people including three paramilitary soldiers were killed in a blast in Balochistan’s Nushki district. A top parliamentary panel met on Tuesday to discuss the prevalent security situation in the country, calling for national consensus and political unity to battle militancy.
“From Jan. 1 to Mar. 16, the figures say that 1,141 casualties of terrorism have taken place. This includes both the martyred and the injured,” Chaudhry said during a news conference. “Out of this, 1,127 alone are from KP and Balochistan.”
He said on a daily basis, three law enforcement agencies’ personnel are killed and seven are injured while two civilians are killed and four injured across Pakistan.
The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which is in power in KP province, boycotted the parliamentary panel on national security’s meeting this week and said it would not support any fresh military operation in the country.
Chaudry criticized the PTI, saying that it would not be possible to eliminate “terrorism” from the country if both KP and Balochistan provinces did not join the state in battling militants. The minister blamed the PTI for creating controversies to undermine Pakistan’s war against militancy.
“We are not starting a new operation neither has there been talk of a new operation,” Chaudry clarified. “But whether it is Azm-e-Istehkam or the National Action Plan, they will be implemented, and it will be ensured that they are implemented,” he said, referring to Pakistan’s previous initiatives against militancy.
Pakistan ranks as the second-most affected country by terrorism, according to The Global Terrorism Index 2025. Militancy-related deaths surged by 45 percent, rising from 748 in 2023 to 1,081 in 2024, marking one of the steepest global increases.
Pakistan’s security forces are battling the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or Pakistani Taliban militants in KP province. Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering TTP militants, an allegation the Afghan Taliban deny strongly.
In Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by land but its poorest by almost all social and economic indicators, separatist militants have been fighting security forces for decades for a greater share in the natural resources of the province. Pakistan’s federal government and military point to various education and health initiatives undertaken in Balochistan, reiterating their resolve to bring about progress in the province.
Pakistan to hold Mar. 23 military parade on ‘limited scale’ due to Ramadan
- Parade will mark 85th anniversary of Pakistan’s republic day celebrated each year on Mar. 23 to celebrate adoption of Lahore Resolution
- Pakistan honors foreign dignitaries, national heroes with top civilian awards, features tanks, missiles, UAVs, and air defense systems at parade
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Day military parade will be held this year on Mar. 23 on a “limited scale” due to the holy month of Ramadan, state-run media reported on Thursday, with contingents of the country’s three armed forces set to participate in the spectacle.
The parade will be held on the 85th anniversary of Pakistan’s republic day, marked each year to celebrate the adoption of the Lahore Resolution by the Muslim League party, which called for the creation of an independent state for the Muslims of India on Mar. 23, 1940.
While last year the event was held at the Parade Avenue in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, this year it is scheduled to take place within the premises of the Aiwan-e-Sadr or the official residence of Pakistan’s president. President Asif Ali Zardari will be the chief guest on the occasion, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said.
“Pakistan Day Parade will be held on Sunday on a limited scale with traditional enthusiasm,” it said. “The decision to hold the parade on a limited scale was made due to the month of Ramadan,” Radio Pakistan said.
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets will also conduct a fly past, a ceremonial or honorific flight by an aircraft or group of aircraft, during the occasion.
“Foreign ambassadors and other distinguished guests have also been invited to the event,” the state media reported.
Pakistan honors foreign dignitaries and national heroes on the occasion with top civilian awards. The parade also features mechanized columns including tanks, armored personnel carriers, rocket launchers, air defense system, guns, UAVs, short-and-long-range Pakistani missiles such as Ra’ad, Nasr, Babur, Shaheen, Ghauri and Ababeel every year.
This year the military parade takes place as Pakistan grapples with surging militancy, especially in its southwestern Balochistan province bordering Iran and Afghanistan. Separatist militants last Tuesday bombed a section of the railway track and stormed the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express train carrying over 400 passengers in the mountainous Bolan region.
The crisis was resolved the following day when the armed forces carried out a successful operation to rescue the hostages, killing all 33 militants in the process. A final count showed 23 soldiers, three railway employees and five passengers had died in the attack.
Violence persisted in the region days later as a blast killed five, including three paramilitary soldiers, in the province’s Nushki district on Sunday.
Both attacks were claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), an ethnic separatist militant outfit in the province. The BLA is the largest and strongest of several ethnic Baloch insurgent groups which have been fighting for decades to win a larger share of the natural resources of mineral-rich Balochistan, which is also home to major China-led projects including a port and gold and copper mines.
Pakistan stocks hit new high in intraday trading on investor confidence, IMF review optimism
- Benchmark KSE-100 index climbed 1,215.46 points, or 1.03 percent, to reach 119,189.48
- Index eventually settled at 118,769.77, up by 795.75 or 0.67 percent, from the previous close
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) crossed the 119,000-point threshold in intraday trading for the first time, largely driven by aggressive buying from local mutual funds and confidence over a positive review of an International Monetary Fund bailout program, a top brokerage house said.
The benchmark KSE-100 index climbed 1,215.46 points, or 1.03 percent, to reach 119,189.48 from the last close of 117,974.02 at 9:43am. The index settled at 118,769.77, up by 795.75 or 0.67 percent, from the previous close.
“This strong upward movement was largely driven by aggressive buying from local mutual funds, as investor confidence remained high on expectations of an imminent IMF review, which might be completed earlier than expected,” Topline Securities said in its daily market review.
Market activity remained robust, with 666 million shares traded, amounting to a turnover of Rs38.5 billion. Cnergyico Pk Ltd. oil refining company led the volume charts, with 163.9 million shares changing hands.
“The positive trajectory in the Pakistan Stock Exchange signifies the increasing trust of traders and investors in the government’s economic policies,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in statement.
“The government is providing all necessary facilities on a priority basis to ensure a conducive environment for business and investment in the country.”
Earlier this month, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) team concluded its first review of Pakistan’s economic reforms under a $7 billion loan program, describing Pakistan’s progress as “strong,” though the mission departed without finalizing a staff-level agreement.
BankIslami unveils ‘Aik,’ Pakistan’s first fully digital Islamic banking solution
- ‘Aik’ is designed to seamlessly integrate essential banking features, offers Qibla direction tool
- The bank says it is spearheading digital transformation of Islamic finance for tech-savvy clientele
KARACHI: An Islamic commercial bank in Pakistan announced on Wednesday it had launched the country’s first digital Islamic banking solution designed to deliver seamless Shariah-compliant financial services nationwide.
BankIslami Pakistan Limited was incorporated in Pakistan in 2004 and commenced operations in April 2006 as the first Islamic bank in the country to receive a license from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) under the 2003 Islamic Banking Policy.
It announced the launch of “Aik” in a statement, saying it would help lead the way in the digital transformation of Islamic finance in Pakistan.
“Aik translates to ‘one’ — a symbol of simplicity, unity and our shared vision for an ethical, Riba-free financial future,” Ashfaque Ahmad, the project lead, was quoted as saying in the statement.
“This platform fulfills a critical need in Pakistan’s banking landscape for a fully digital solution that aligns with Islamic principles without compromising convenience and accessibility,” he added.
The statement said the platform integrates essential banking features, including digital account opening with biometric authentication, instant money transfers, secure bill payments, mobile top-ups and an internationally accessible debit card, with other functionalities such as a Qibla direction tool.
Available for download on Google Play and the Apple App Store, Aik allows users to register using their CNIC and instantly access a secure, fully digital Islamic banking experience.
As one of Pakistan’s leading Islamic financial institutions, BankIslami currently operates over 540 branches and offers a comprehensive suite of Shariah-compliant products.
With the launch of Aik, the bank said it was spearheading the digital transformation of Islamic finance for a tech-savvy clientele in the country.
Pakistan to investigate alleged visit of journalists to Israel, says ‘no question’ of recognizing Tel Aviv
- Israeli newspaper reported this week 10-member Pakistani delegation visited Israel for a week
- Foreign office says has no knowledge of delegation members and what passports they were traveling on
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani Foreign Office said on Thursday there was no change in the country’s position that it did not recognize Israel, adding that officials were gathering information on an alleged visit to Israel by a local delegation of journalists and influencers.
A media report by the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom said on Wednesday a 10-member Pakistani delegation of journalists, intellectuals and influencers had visited Israel for a week.
Pakistan does not recognize the state of Israel, and its passport explicitly states that it cannot be used for travel to the country. Islamabad has repeatedly called for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
“As far as Pakistan’s position is concerned, it’s very unambiguous,” Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters at a weekly media briefing in Islamabad.
“There is no question of a change in Pakistan’s position on the question of recognition of Israel or on the question of Palestine or Israel or on the question of Palestine or the Arab-Israel problems.”
Responding to a question on the reported visit of the Pakistani delegation, the spokesperson said the trip had nothing to do with the foreign ministry or government.
“We are gathering information and when we have a clearer picture, we will be able to comment on that,” he added.
“We don’t know who was there [Israel] and what kind of passport they were carrying, maybe they were dual nationalities.”
The Hayon newspaper report said the ten Pakistani journalists and researchers, including two women, arrived in Israel last Monday and carried passports declaring their invalidity for travel to Israel.
“Despite this, they bravely accepted an invitation from Sharaka, an organization working to strengthen relations between Israel and South Asian countries,” the report said.
“To protect the delegation members, their passports were not stamped, and publication of their visit was delayed until they returned safely home.”
RESUMPTION OF GAZA WAR
Commenting on Israel resuming its bombing campaign and ground operations in Gaza, the FO spokesman said Pakistan “unequivocally condemned” the assault in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, calling it a “blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement [signed in January].”
Tuesday’s first day of resumed airstrikes killed more than 400 Palestinians, one of the deadliest days of the war. At least 510 Palestinians have been killed in the past three days, more than half of them women and children, Khalil Al-Deqran, the spokesperson of Gaza’s health ministry told Reuters.
The surprise bombardment has threatened to fully reignite the 17-month-old war, with Israeli officials saying the operation was expected to expand.
“Israel’s airstrikes and raids are a flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement; international humanitarian law; the UN Charter, and hampers the confidence and faith in the global community and international law,” Khan added.
“We also call on the international community to increase its efforts to end Israel’s genocidal campaign against the innocent people of Palestine. We call for accountability of Israeli crimes committed in this brutal war, as a crucial step toward restoring international legitimacy.”
